Recently, as the performance of electronic devices such as touch screens, displays, semiconductors, and the like has been diversified and highly developed, it is necessary to use materials having various functions to form a pattern, and the need for further finely forming the line width and line spacing of the pattern is increasing.
For example, conductive patterns for forming electrodes in various electronic devices, resist patterns for forming a black matrix of a color filter or a conductive pattern, and the like have been used in many cases, and as electronic devices are miniaturized and their performance is highly developed, it is necessary to form these patterns further finely.
Methods for forming a pattern are diversified according to the use, and representative examples thereof include a photolithography method, a screen printing method, an inkjet method, and the like.
The photolithography method is a method which may form a photosensitive layer with a photosensitive material and selectively expose and develop the photosensitive layer for patterning to form a pattern.
However, the photolithography method causes an increase in process costs due to costs of photosensitive materials, which are not included in a final product and are developed and removed, and an etchant and disposal costs of the photosensitive materials and the etchant. Further, there is a problem of environmental pollution caused by disposal of the materials. In addition, the method has many processes and is complicated, and thus much time and costs are required.
The screen printing method is carried out by using ink based on conductive particles having a size ranging from several hundred nanometers to several ten micrometers for screen printing and then performing sintering.
The screen printing method and the inkjet method have limitations in implementing a fine pattern having a size of several ten micrometers.